The band are proud to be the first of the Blues Matters family to have a top twenty hit (number 4) in the USA I-Tunes Blues Singles download chart.
It has been a long, hard road with many twists and turns. But, it has been worth it.
The band play, as has been described, heavy blues/rock and in live performances take no prisoners. Many reviews have talked about the bands fantastic rhythm section, their, ‘in your face’ style.
The band play a selection of songs from their Blues Matters album ‘Are you Ready’, including, ‘Are you Ready’, ‘Hometown’, ‘Changes’ their American hit ‘Spirit in the Sky’ and ‘Love in the fast lane’ which is included on the Blues Matters album ‘Blues without the blinkers’ which reached number 2 in the UK I-Tunes blues album charts.
In addition to their original material they also play covers such as ‘I got my Mojo Working’, ‘Spoonful’, ‘White Room’, ‘Rock me Baby’, ’Hey Joe’ and many more.
The band are hoping to enter the studio later this year to record their follow up album to ‘Are you Ready’.
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Mick Rutherford began his career in 1963 and has played in excess of 3,000 live dates. Two of his albums are now collectable, ‘Saga of the Ice King’ by his band Ice, recorded in 1979, is now worth more than £150 with one selling in Birmingham for a staggering £375. His 1975 album with Dickens called ‘Standing Out’ is worth a minimum of £50. He played in front of 35,000 people at the third Mildenhall Rock and Blues Festival in August 1990 and, between November 1990 and January 1991 performed in Abu Dhabi to the American Navy during the first Gulf War build up.
Mick uses Vintage Musicman Bass Guitar, Vintage custom 335 semi- acoustic Guitar. Fender 135 watt Bass Amplification through a Carlsbro 300 watt custom Bass cabinet. He also uses a Zoom on stage tuner.
Paul Westmoreland He played his first gig during early ‘80’s. He has been a member of Bluesology and with this band played at the Bulldog Bash at Avon Park Raceway. Destiny Ranch recorded on the Parliphone Lable and, with Mick, formed The Mick Rutherford Band. His influences are Cozy Powell, Ginger Baker and Ian Paice. His Baker influence has been noticed by critics, especially during ‘White Room’.
Paul uses a Pearl Export 5 shell drum kit with Paste cymbals.
Carl Axon started in the late ‘70’s and joined Blind Drunk. He then formed his own rock band, Stained Glass, before being picked out by the management team of 80’s hitsters, Dr and the Medics. Although he helped write, and played on the bands Blues Matters album. He has appeared, with the Medics, on several TV shows, including 'Top of the Pops' and 'Hit me baby one more time'. His influence is Michael Shenker, who he has jammed with at The Monsters of Rock Festival at Donnington Park. In November 2006 Carl left The Medics to join The Mick Rutherford Band on a full time basis.
Carl Axon (Guitar) plays 'Hit me baby one more time' on TV show (Dr & The Medics)Carl plays a Gibson Flying V and Fender Telecaster and uses Marshall amps and speakers.
The band is self contained and travel with a 1,500 watt PA system using McGregor and Peavy power amps with a sound cube desk. The band use Shure SM58 microphones.
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Over the years the various members of the band have performed with; The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Slade, T. Rex, The Animals, Nine Below Zero, Dr Feelgood, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Hollies, The Zombies, The Searchers, Manfred Mann, The Blues Band, Blodwyn Pig, John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, Bakerloo, Juicy Lucy among others.
The Mick Rutherford Band have played on the same bill as: Jethro Tull, The Bruce Dickinson Band, Andrew Strong, The Hamsters, Saxon, The Pretty Things, John Ottway, Tony ‘T.S.’ McPhee and the Groundhogs among others.
They have performed at; The Bulldog Bash, The Rock and Blues, The National Welsh Show, The West of England Show, The National NABD Show, The Skegness Rock and Blues Weekend, The Nantwich Blues Festival, The Burnly Blues Festival, The Colne Blues festival, The Maryport Blues Festival, The Cropredy Festival, The BMF Show, The Garden of England Show, The NABD Tailender and many more.
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The band can be contacted by E Mail at [email protected], by phone on 07743702743 by post to Mick Rutherford 3 Watery Lane, Scropton, Derbys DE65 5PL. If you input The Mick Rutherford Band onto your internet search engine you can see the reviews of this great band , who have been called, THE ULTIMATE BRITISH POWER TRIO.
Formed: 1995Discography:Albums.1995: MRB-Live Rockall Records 1996: Lady of the night. Rockall Records 1997: Alive and smoking. Rockall Records 1998: Special Preserve. Hawkmoon Records 1999: Highway 61. Hawkmoon Records 2000: Behind the mirror. Hawkmoon Records 2001: Spoonful of Cream. Festival Records 2002: One night only. Hawkmoon Records 2005: Are you ready? Blues Matters Records 2007: Rock me BabySingles.2005: Down at the station Blues Matters Records 2006: Spirit in the sky Blues Matters Records (Number 14 USA) 2006: Love in the fast lane Blues Matters Records (Number 2 UK) 2006: Are you Ready? Blues Matters Records (Number 27 USA) 2007: Spirit in the sky (re-entered) (Number 4 USA) 2008: Madman Blues.......................................................
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Vidio of The Mick Rutherford Band and The Brew with special guest Sol Philcox. At the start it's Mikc Rutherford on bass and vocals (MRB), Paul Westmoreland on drums (MRB) Jason Barwick on guitar (The Brew). Then halfway through Kurt Smith (the Brew) takes over drums, Tim Smith (the Brew) takes over on bass and Carl Axon (MRB) takes over guitar. The other guitarist all through is Sol Philcox. This vidio was shot at The Brickmakers, Norwich during The Mick Rutherford Band and The Brew's Blues Matters UK tour October 2007.MEDIA No strangers to the Nottingham music scene is THE MICK RUTHERFORD BAND out in force around the country over the next month. Mick, as blues fans will know, has completed 44 years in the music business. Starting out playing blues/rock/metal and in the 60's touring alongside Hendrix, Cream and The Rolling Stones. Mick, who moved to Nottingham in 1992 has retired a couple of times but the returnes have been worth it. Last year they were voted 'Best Blues Band 2006' by It's only rock and roll magazine. Nottingham Evening Post........................................................
Then The Mick Rutherford Band took to the stage to give, as usual, a blistering display of high power rock and blues. New member (ex Doctor and the Medics) Carl Axon made his guitar sing and the overall power of the band made the full house rock. Mick's bass was pounding heads into submission and Paul's drums powered the band as only he can. As for Mick's voice.....Simply the best. A worthy headline band to round off a great weekend. Open House Magazine. Wed 22nd August heavy blues/rock from THE MICK RUTHERFORD BAND + special guests The Brew Featuring MICK RUTHERFORD (Vocals/Bass/Acoustic Guitar) ex Alexis Korner's Blues Incorporated/Ice/Dickens/Heavy Metal Thunder/Loose Connection. CARL AXON (Guitar/Vocals) ex Blind Drunk/Stained Glass/Doctor & The Medics. PAUL WESTMORELAND (Drums/Vocals) ex Bluesology/Monkey Puzzle/Destiny Ranch/After Midnight. The band plays, as has been described, heavy blues/rock and in live performances take no prisoners. They play a selection of songs from their Blues Matters album 'Are you ready?', including, 'Are you ready?', 'Hometown', 'Changes', their American hit 'Spirit in the sky' and 'Love in the fast lane', which is included on the Blues Matters album 'Blues without the blinkers', which reached number 2 in the UK I-Tunes blues album charts. In addition to their original material they also play covers such as 'I got my mojo working', 'Spoonful', 'White room', 'Rock me baby', 'Hey Joe', and many more.THE BREW is very much in the blues/rock field of driving riffs and awsome guitar playing blended from Hendrix, Zeppelin and with influences from Kula Shaker. On stage 8.30pm Adv £6.00 Door £7.00 The Robin r&b club 2 club magazine. May 07 to Jan 08Mick Rutherfords 1979 album 'Saga of the Ice King' is featured in the April edition of Record Collector (publish date March 15th)RECORD COLLECTOR APRIL EDITION page 28. THE UK's MOST COLLECTABLE PROGRESSIVE ROCK RECORDSICE Saga Of The Ice King (Storm, with booklet. 1979) £150*** This quintet (derived mostly from Tamworth band Willow) led by ex-Alexis Korner Blues Incorporated singer, Mick Rutherford, was formed in March 1978 and issued their debut concept album a year later, before splitting in 1982. Featuring the Staffordshire Youth Orchestra, with string arrangements by Rutherford, it's riven with changes of both mood and tempo, as well as boasting some blaring horns and sweet electric and acoustic guitar from Andy Radek, as highlighted on airy tunes like The Bridge. This LP has been described as 'the rarest album of 1979', but as Rutherford recalls. 'It was recorded in Lichfield in a garden shed studio. The control room was an added lean to attached to the side. I got the idea for the story from a Marvel comic on Thor and told the musicians in the band-Colin, Andy, Paul Watts and Steve Sheldon-what kind of song I wanted for each part of the 'saga'. We borrowed a Revox four-track from a musician friend of ours. Paul Hinch, who used to work in Abbey Road Studios. He told us that the machine was one of two used to record The Beatles' Sgt Pepper. There was going to be narration a la The War of the Worlds, but I soon realised that this would take too long, so we didn't use it. We recorded it between November 1978 and February 1979. Once the thing was finished and mixed, I took the master to Blackpool, where the pressings were done. As the engineer went through the tape it broke during Journey into exile. Although it was repaired, half of one verse is missing on the finished release. I wrote all the lyrics and arranged the strings on The Ice King. What I didn't know was that, although we tuned all our instruments by ear, the Staffordshire Youth Orchestra tuned to concert pitch, so throughout the song we're out of tune with the orchestra! The album was released in the summer of '79 and sold well, but 10 years later I binned 20 copies that were cluttering up the house! Apparently, by then the album was much sought after in Scandinavian countries because of the Viking myth element, and a copy sold for £375 at a Birmingham record fair in 1994.Mick's now played over 3,000 gigs and leads The Mick Rutherford Band (signed to the Blues Matters label, and an iTunes Top 20 act in October 2006 with Spirit in the Sky).